Stories Of The Qur’an

Here we are with the book Stories of the Qur’an by AI-Hafiz Isma` il Ibn Katheer Ad- Dimashqi (May Allah rest his soul), taking a tour throughout the stories mentioned in the Glorious Qur’ an pertaining to which Allah the Almighty says: {Indeed in their stories, there is a lesson for men of understanding}. (Yusuf, 111) Yes, in order to find admonition, lessons and exemplary models! This book handles the stories that are cited in the Glorious Qur’an, gathered from the book titled, Al-Bidayah wan-Nihayah (The Beginning and the End).

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Tafsir Ibn Kathir

The Qur’an is the revelation of Allah’s Own Words for the guidance of His creatures. Since the Qur’an is the primary source of Islamic teachings, the correct understanding for the Qur’an is necessary for every Muslim. The Tafsir of Ibn Kathir is among the most renowned and accepted explanation of the Qur’an in the entire world. In it one finds the best presentation of Hadiths, history, and scholarly commentary.

The four Rightly guided Caliphs (Khaliph’s) Abu Bakr As-Sideeq, Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, Uthmaan Ibn ‘Affaan and Ali Ibn Abi Taalib. The Biography of Umar Ibn Abdel-Azeez who is regarded as one of the Rightly Guided Chaliphs is also included in this book.

The following incident is a clear proof that the Ash’aris are at odds with the Aqidah of the Salaf and the Imams of Ahl al-Hadith, such as Imam al-Bukhari. It is for this reason that they imprisoned the erudite Hadith scholar, Abul-Jamal al-Mizzi for reading out Khalq Af’al al-’Ibad, a famous creedal work by Imam al-Bukhari:

Ibn Kathir said in al-Bidayah:
“Some jurists were jealous of Ibn Taymiyyah because he had contacts in the Government, and because he single-handedly took care of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, and because people listened to what he had to say, and because they loved him, and because of the great number of his followers, and because he stood for the truth, and because of his knowledge and action.

In Damascus, a lot of tension arose due to the absence of the vice Head of State [who was in Egypt at the time]. The [Ash’ari] judge in Damascus ordered for some disciples of Ibn Taymiyyah to be punished.

In the same period, it so happened that al-Mizzi read a chapter refuting the Jahmiyyah from al-Bukhari’s Khalq Af’aal al-Ibaad under the Nasr Dome [in the Umayyad Mosque]… Some [Ash’ari] jurists who were present there became angry and complained to the Shafi’i [Ash’ari] judge, Ibn Sasraa (??? ????) who was an enemy of his. Al-Mizzi was therefore jailed.

News reached Ibn Taymiyyah and he was saddened. He went to jail and had him taken out. He then went to the palace and found the judge there. They argued over al-Mizzi, so Ibn Sasraa took an oath that he would return al-Mizzi to jail or else he would step down as judge. [News reached Egypt], and the deputy Head of State had him re-imprisoned to keep the [Ash’ari] judge happy, but had al-Mizzi jailed nearby him in the city of Cusae [Asyut, Egypt]. Then the Deputy Head released him.

When the Deputy Head returned, Ibn Taymiyyah told him what had happened to him and his disciples in his absence. The Deputy Head was deeply saddened and announced in Damascus that nobody should debate in theology, and whoever does so would have his wealth seized, his blood shed and his house and shop razed to the ground. The situation therefore cooled down…”

Ibn Hajar said in al-Durar al-Kaaminah:
“In Rajab 712 A.H., al-Mizzi read a chapter from al-Bukhari’s Khalq Af’aal al-Ibaad in the Umayyad Mosque. Some Shafi’is [i.e. Ash’aris] heard him and became vexed. They remarked: “We are the ones being targeted by this”. They took him to court by a Shafi’i [Ash’ari] judge and he ordered for him to be jailed. News reached Ibn Taymiyyah, so he proceeded to the prison and had him released with his own hands… ”

“Al-Mizzi started to read out al-Bukhari’s Khalq Af’aal al-Ibaad, in which there is a chapter in refutation of the Jahmis. Some people [Ash’aris] became angry and remarked: “We are the ones being targeted here”. News reached the Shafi’i [Ash’ari] judge that very day and he ordered for him to be incarcerated. Ibn Taymiyyah went to get him released, but the deputy Head of State had him returned to prison. Later on, al-Mizzi was released…”

Al-Sakhawi said in al-Daw’ al-Laami’:
“… al-Mizzi was tested due to his reading out of al-Bukhari’s Khalq Af’aal al-Ibaad…”